CJSL 2026–2027 Age Group Transition
CJSL 2026–2027 Age Group Transition – Club Overview
Age Group Matrix
Beginning on August 1, 2026, all USYS competitions will use the August 1 – July 31 age grouping standard.
All teams formed for the 2026/2027 seasonal year must be grouped based on these dates. When determining the age group for a season, the year in which the season ends should be used to determine the birth year.
Please note that the format “U” followed by an age means that age and younger.
U.S. Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and American Youth Soccer Organization have announced a national change to how youth age groups will be formed beginning in Fall 2026. This page provides CJSL clubs with a clear overview of what is changing and how it will be implemented within the league.
What Is Changing?
Starting on August 1st, 2026, youth soccer will move from the current:
Calendar-Year Model (January 1 – December 31) to Seasonal-Year Model (August 1 – July 31)
Under this structure, players will be grouped based on birthdates that fall within the August 1 – July 31 seasonal window.
Official Announcement:
U.S. Youth Soccer Age Group Update
https://www.usyouthsoccer.org/news/2025/06/10/updated-decision-on-age-group-formation/
Why Is This Change Being Made?
Following national review and collaboration across governing bodies, the seasonal-year model was adopted to:
Align youth soccer more closely with the academic school calendar
Support player retention and participation
Provide clearer developmental grouping
Create stronger alignment across leagues and competitions nationwide
This is a national policy change, not a CJSL-specific initiative.
What Does This Mean for CJSL Clubs?
Beginning with the 2026–2027 seasonal year, all CJSL teams will:
Register under the August 1 – July 31 age group structure
Be placed into divisions based on the seasonal-year model
Follow updated roster eligibility standards tied to birthdate
CJSL already maintains official age group charts for club reference. See Below.
This page will remain the official resource for determining age eligibility.
Why Is CJSL Required to Implement This?
CJSL operates under the governance structure of U.S. Youth Soccer and Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association.
As a sanctioned league, CJSL must align with national federation policies concerning:
Age group formation
Player registration standards
Competition eligibility
Compliance ensures CJSL clubs and players remain eligible for sanctioned competitions, including State Cup and regional pathways.
Implementation Timeline
The current calendar-year structure remains in place through Spring 2026.
The seasonal-year structure takes effect Fall 2026.
GotSport registration and league division formation will reflect the new model at that time.
Clubs are encouraged to begin internal planning discussions early to ensure clear communication with families during upcoming tryout and registration cycles.
Questions?
To ensure consistent communication:
Families should contact their Club Administrator first.
Club Administrators may direct league-level questions to CJSL.
For league-related inquiries: info@cjslsoccer.com
| Age Group |
2025–26 Season Born Between |
2026–27 Season Born Between |
2027–28 Season Born Between |
2028–29 Season Born Between |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-7 | Jan 1, 2019 – Dec 31, 2019 |
Aug 1, 2019 – July 31, 2020 |
Aug 1, 2020 – July 31, 2021 |
Aug 1, 2021 – July 31, 2022 |
| U-8 | Jan 1, 2018 – Dec 31, 2018 |
Aug 1, 2018 – July 31, 2019 |
Aug 1, 2019 – July 31, 2020 |
Aug 1, 2020 – July 31, 2021 |
| U-9 | Jan 1, 2017 – Dec 31, 2017 |
Aug 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018 |
Aug 1, 2018 – July 31, 2019 |
Aug 1, 2019 – July 31, 2020 |
| U-10 | Jan 1, 2016 – Dec 31, 2016 |
Aug 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017 |
Aug 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018 |
Aug 1, 2018 – July 31, 2019 |
| U-11 | Jan 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2015 |
Aug 1, 2015 – July 31, 2016 |
Aug 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017 |
Aug 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018 |
| U-12 | Jan 1, 2014 – Dec 31, 2014 |
Aug 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015 |
Aug 1, 2015 – July 31, 2016 |
Aug 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017 |
| U-13 | Jan 1, 2013 – Dec 31, 2013 |
Aug 1, 2013 – July 31, 2014 |
Aug 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015 |
Aug 1, 2015 – July 31, 2016 |
| U-14 | Jan 1, 2012 – Dec 31, 2012 |
Aug 1, 2012 – July 31, 2013 |
Aug 1, 2013 – July 31, 2014 |
Aug 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015 |
| U-15 | Jan 1, 2011 – Dec 31, 2011 |
Aug 1, 2011 – July 31, 2012 |
Aug 1, 2012 – July 31, 2013 |
Aug 1, 2013 – July 31, 2014 |
| U-16 | Jan 1, 2010 – Dec 31, 2010 |
Aug 1, 2010 – July 31, 2011 |
Aug 1, 2011 – July 31, 2012 |
Aug 1, 2012 – July 31, 2013 |
| U-17 | Jan 1, 2009 – Dec 31, 2009 |
Aug 1, 2009 – July 31, 2010 |
Aug 1, 2010 – July 31, 2011 |
Aug 1, 2011 – July 31, 2012 |
| U-18 | Jan 1, 2008 – Dec 31, 2008 |
Aug 1, 2008 – July 31, 2009 |
Aug 1, 2009 – July 31, 2010 |
Aug 1, 2010 – July 31, 2011 |
| U-19 | Jan 1, 2007 – Dec 31, 2007 |
Aug 1, 2007 – July 31, 2008 |
Aug 1, 2008 – July 31, 2009 |
Aug 1, 2009 – July 31, 2010 |
CJSL Player Placement Tool
The CJSL Player Placement Tool is designed to help clubs determine the correct age group placement for players using the official U.S. Youth Soccer (USYS) Age Group Matrix.
By entering a player’s name, date of birth, and gender, the tool will automatically:
Assign the appropriate age group based on the selected season
Separate players by Boys and Girls
Sort players alphabetically within each group
Display player counts per age group
This tool is especially helpful during tryouts, roster planning, seasonal transitions, and verifying player placement under the updated USYS age formation guidelines.
How to Use the Tool
Select the Season
Choose the appropriate season from the dropdown menu. The tool will apply the correct USYS age grouping model for that season.Enter Player Information
You may:Paste player information manually using this format:
Name, MM/DD/YYYY, Gender (M/F)Or drag and drop a CSV file formatted as:
Name,DOB,Gender
Click “Group Players”
The tool will automatically:Determine the correct age group
Organize players by Gender and Age Group
Sort players alphabetically
Display total player counts per group
Export to Excel (Optional)
Click “Export to Excel” to download a file grouped by Gender and Age Group for roster planning or internal review.
CJSL Player Placement Tool
Official CJSL Player Age Matrix Placement System